


Layers

by avari20



Series: The Punch about to Land [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Bucky is coming for you, Darcy is not playing by your rules Steven, Leave No Cake Behind, Pre-Relationship, Steve and his cake are meant to be, and you better have a good explanation for what just went down, give up now, possible OT3, she knows your weaknesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 17:23:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6204166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avari20/pseuds/avari20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve may be a master tactician, but Darcy Lewis is the queen of mind games.</p><p>Or: Steve finds out that secret plans to get Bucky a girlfriend aren't as secret as he thinks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Layers

Steve took a deep, steadying breath. “Before we do this, I just want you to know that I care very deeply about you. You're one of the most important people in my life. The trust we've built between us means more to me than you will ever know, and I would always regret it if something happened to break that trust.”

“Steve,” Darcy said, incredibly amused, “are you going to eat the cake or not?”

He looked down at the beauty sitting just inches away. The cake, not Darcy, though she was the swellest dame he'd met in awhile. He' d rather sew his own trap shut than say that out loud, though.

And that cake...Black Forest, with layers of cream and cherries and moist, decadent chocolate insides.

So close and yet so far.

He steeled himself against its allure. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. “You did something to it, didn't you.” He didn't care if he sounded mournful at the thought; he was. Messing with a man's cake was like putting pineapples on pizza—some things were just tragic.

Darcy propped her elbows on the table and leaned in. “No.”

Steve manfully tried to keep his eyes from straying away from her face. “I wish I could believe you,” he said, “but I was around for the Bucky Incident.”

She rolled her eyes. “Nothing was wrong with that cake. He chose not to eat it, that's all. I can't help it if his dastardly mind came up with all kinds of ways I could have tampered with it.”

“He didn't even share,” Steve muttered mournfully. “Just threw it out.”

“Which is why I come bearing gifts. It's a reward.” She dangled a fork in front of his face. “For getting my tunes back.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“The cake hidden in the cupboard, however, is a bribe.”

He perked up. “Bribe?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Oh. Well. In that case.” He reached for the fork. It was a normal sized one, not one of those delicate European things that made him want to break furniture. Those little scrapes of nothing were not made for the kind of eating Steve Rogers intended to be doing.

Darcy blinked when he dug in. “You're not even going to ask what the bribe's about?”

The first taste hit his tongue and he moaned, a full-on body shiver rocking his body.

Darcy didn't even pretend not to appreciate that. In fact, she preened.

He swallowed before answering. His ma taught him manners, after all. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, Steve, never ask me of all people that kind of question. I consistently score Slytherin on those Hogwarts quizzes.”

He understood that reference. “Darcy, you gave me two cakes.” That, for him, was explanation enough.

“To think, people assume you're a Gryfinndor,” she tsked, standing up straight. Steve was almost sorry; she _was_ the swellest dame, and her body--

He cut that thought off and shoved another bite into his mouth. _Pater noster, qui es in caelis..._

“I need a favor,” Darcy said, trailing her painted fingernail over the table idly. They were blue this week. “And you're the only one that can help me with it.” She flashed a devilish grin. “In fact, you could say that you're my only hope.”

He understood that reference too, and he was beginning to realize just how much of his enforced cultural education was paying off. “Yes?”

“Let me kiss you.”

He was very, very, very glad that he'd already swallowed that bite and only choked on air. “What?”

“You heard me.” She sidled closer, flirtation in every move. “Let me kiss you, Steven Grant Rogers.”

He gulped. She was almost to his side, and he felt like he was bolted to the chair with no hope of moving. A chair that put her at exactly the right height.

A chair that hadn't been there this morning, he realized belatedly.

“What do you say, Steve?” She was close enough to touch, but she didn't. Why didn't she? Touching was good.

Wait.

He wasn't supposed to be thinking like that. Not about Darcy.

She licked her lips and looked at him expectantly. “One kiss, and that's it. I won't even use my tongue if you don't want me to.”

“Wh-why?”

“Call it a deep, burning urge for something.” Her little smile widened. “The other cake is German too.”

“Oh God,” he uttered with feeling. He was a goner. “Take me, I'm yours.”

“That's what I like to hear.”

And then Darcy Lewis took his face in both her tiny, capable hands and proceeded to kiss the daylights out of him. Angels sang. Peggy Carter clapped from the metaphysical plane. The spirit of Howard Stark wolf-whistled. Steve Rogers bent his fork in half.

When she pulled back, he almost went with her. Only super reflexes kept him from falling out of the chair. “Mm,” she murmured, licking her lips in satisfaction. Those truly amazing lips. “Thank you, Steve.”

“Uh...you're welcome.” He'd done absolutely nothin' and he knew it, but he was not about to look this gift horse in the mouth.

Well, yes he was, but for completely unrelated reasons.

He blinked and tried to get himself together. “Thank _you_ ,” he managed.

She stepped back. “Enjoy your cakes, Steve.” She turned to go. “Oh, by the way?”

That sense flared up again. The punch about to land. It was coming.

“When I gave Barnes that cake, I asked JARVIS for a copy of the victory video.” She folded her arms at her waist. “You know what's interesting about JARVIS? He never really stops recording.”

He frowned, confused. Until...

His eyes flew wide open in alarm. Barton. The thing.

“Good to know you're willing to sell out your best friend for cake, Steve,” Darcy purred. “Just don't forget who you're bargaining with.” She left.

He watched her go with apprehension. That feeling wasn't dissipating. There was another layer to this.

“Captain Rogers,” JARVIS chimed.

He looked up. “Yes?”

“I am compelled to inform you that a copy of your interaction with Miss Lewis was requested to be sent to Sergeant Barnes. It was delivered as of thirty seconds ago.”

OH SH--

A metallic screech from the elevator.

“I have disabled the elevator. Sergeant Barnes is currently on his way up via the stairs. I would suggest--”

Steve Rogers, Captain America, war hero and Avenger, didn't wait for the AI to finish.

He grabbed his plate and took off running as fast as his legs would carry him.

 

**The End**


End file.
